Tainted Love
by dantesdarkqueen
Summary: A former apprentice of Dante’s and exlover of Vergil, Loren, comes back from Europe to find her man has wed another women. Consumed with jealousy and twisted love, she vows to kill Heather and her kids, and take back that which is hers. Better summary
1. Return of the AluFiend

**Disclaimer: **Nope. I don't own Devil May Cry. I do, however, own all rights to Heather, Michael, Aeva, and Loren.

**Summary: **A former apprentice of Dante's and ex-lover of Vergil, Loren, comes back from a decade-long gig in Europe to find that her man has wed another women. Consumed with jealousy and twisted love for him, she vows to kill Heather and her kids, and take back that which is hers. Meanwhile, Heather is with child once more, and both Dante and Vergil are nervous about the identity of the father. Which is it this time? The elder twin or the younger?

**Queen's Quornor: **Yep, that's right. I'm back (cue the flame extinguishers). I'm not finished with Heather and the kids yet (besides, Dante won't let me just keep writing my FFVII stuff alone: he shoved a controller in my hands last night, loaded up DMC3SE, pointed to the television, and told me "Play it." So the muse has returned from its drunken spiel, at long last). So here's a new one that I was mulling over before I started "Happy Anniversary." I've modified the time frame, but the plot is still basically the same. Hope you all enjoy it!

Return of the Alu-Fiend

The demon raced down the long alleyways, occasionally teleporting in short hops in an attempt to throw the wicked hunter off its trail. A hunter would normally pose no problem for a being such as it, but this one was the exception. The hunter had cut down all of its forces, their chilling wails of agony ringing through the night in waves as they crumbled. The others had thrown themselves at their adversary, and died screaming.

It was not going to take that chance.

The gateway to the Abyss was just ahead, the hunter far behind, and almost certainly lost in the labyrinth of twisting brick walls. The demon slowed and called out the words to open the gate, believing itself to be home-free.

It was wrong.

A slender form dropped down in front of it, silhouetted against the hellish red light of the open portal. The demon skidded to a stop, momentarily stunned by the hunter's sudden, unexpected appearance. The hunter's weapon flashed out, wrapping tightly around its scrawny neck.

The last thing the demon saw before its head was ripped off was the hunter's glowing poison eyes.

Loren swung her blade-chain around a few times to get the sand off it, and coiled it back around its loop on her waist, sighing in satisfaction. The demons were dead and the hellgate would close momentarily, with the human world none the worse for the wear. Her job was almost done.

Leaning against the wall, watching the gateway slide closed, one would not think she was anything more than a normal, everyday hooker. Loren was taller than most men, with glossy red hair that cascaded down her back in waves and a body that just wouldn't quit, in more ways than one. Her eyes were the color of new grass, and her skin was moonlight pale. She was clad in black leather of the shiny, dominatrix variety: pants with slits up the sides, a corset, and knee-length boots. Her slim hands were sheathed in long gloves and a chain-draped choker was fastened snugly about her long neck. Loren was as lovely as any magazine model, and in fact had been approached by talent scouts on numerous occasions to pose for fashion mags.

But she had no interest in such a lucrative, cutthroat trade. Her interests were more…specialized.

As the gate closed, a flash of poisonous green light enveloped her, momentarily transforming the gorgeous female into something far more sinister. A beautiful woman with reptilian scales covering her naked arms and chest, black feathered wings reaching towards the shadow-clad moon. Her eyes, the pupils now slitted, glowed with the light that had changed her.

A moment later, the terrifyingly beguiling visage was gone, leaving the huntress leaning against the wall, as human as before. _Too bad nobody saw that, _she thought with a twitch of her ruby lips. _I could really use some fun. _

She was done. Time to go collect her fee and figure out what to do next.

_Business has really been slowing down here in Europe. Too many hunters taking out the big guys and leaving only the small fry. Demon summoners have been laying low, or going to the states. _

She lifted her head against the moon as a strong wind picked up, blowing her blood-red tresses out behind her in a cloak of harmless flame. A smile graced her countenance again as memories came to the front of her musings. Memories of two men she had left behind almost ten years ago.

_Perhaps I should do the same. It has been too long since last I worked with Dante, or spent a night in Vergil's bed. Won't they be surprised to see me?_

DHVDHVDHDVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHV

Heather looked around the table to her mates, both of whom were eating their dinners and steadfastly refusing to acknowledge the other's presence. Dante had evidently done something to piss his older twin off _again_, resulting in a sort of contest to see who would break down and actually talk to the other first. Heather hated it when they did this. She loved her mates, but they could act so damn immature sometimes that it made her head hurt.

Aeva and Michael tried to draw their fathers/uncles into the conversation of what they had done in school that day, but the two men were so intent on not speaking to each other that they silently overpowered their offspring's attempts to talk to them. The twins slumped back in their chairs and picked at their food half-heartedly, disappointed.

This had to stop. Heather had been waiting to break her news to them after the twins had gone to bed, but their behavior left her no choice. If this didn't get them to talk to each other, she didn't know what would. She laid her fork down and folded her hands on the table. "Dante, Vergil, I have something to tell you."

They looked at her. As always, the intensity of their wintry eyes gave her chills.

"I'm pregnant."

There was a brief silence, then Dante's chair shot back across the carpet like a rocket as he stood up, faster than Heather had ever seen him move. A split-second later, she was smashed against a wall of iron-hard muscle. He had hugged her, and was exclaiming something about how he was going to be a father. From under his armpit, Heather could just make out Vergil. He had dropped his fork and knife into the middle of his steak and mashed potatoes, but he was smiling. It was a tiny one, but it was there nonetheless. For him, it was akin to his twin's celebratory song-chant of "I'm gonna be a father! I'm gonna be a father!"

"But Daddy, you're already a father," Michael pointed out. "You've got me, remember?"

"Well yeah, but I didn't get to watch your mother while she was pregnant with you and your sister." His arms tightened, forcing all of the air out of Heather's lungs with an audible _woosh!_ "This time, I can!"

"Um, Uncle Dante?"

"Yes Aeva?"

"You're killing Mommy."

"Oh. Sorry." The red-clad half-demon let go of his mate and grinned sheepishly at her. "Guess I got a little carried away."

"It's all right," she coughed, one hand on her throat as she reaccustomed herself to breathing. "I'm used to it by now."

"How far along are you?" Vergil asked, refusing to comment on his brother's activity. That alone spoke volumes about how serious Dante's offense, whatever it was, had been.

"I missed my period yesterday, and bought a pregnancy test today. The strip turned blue."

"So it could be anywhere from a month to a day." Vergil shrugged. "We'll have to find you an obstetrician. You didn't have one before."

"So… You're not upset?" she ventured.

Two sets of icy blue eyes met her green ones. "Why would we be mad?" Vergil inquired.

"Well… You both got pretty upset the first time I got pregnant." Heather looked at her hands. "I was just afraid… I mean…"

The blue-clad twin got up from his chair and took her in his arms, stroking her hair soothingly. "Angel, the circumstances have changed. You are our mate; why would we be upset about an unplanned pregnancy now? We have no reason to."

"He's right, babe," Dante chimed in. "Besides, we wouldn't let you go away again. We need you to help us look after the brats."

"Hey!" the aforementioned brats protested.

"So it doesn't matter who the father is this time?" That was a worry that had been plaguing Heather's mind the moment she had seen the blue tint of the pregnancy test. The reason she had run away before, while carrying Michael and Aeva, had been because Dante and Vergil had nearly killed each other arguing over which one of them had fathered her children.

"No. No it doesn't, angel."

"Of course it doesn't, babe."

Heather, reassured, snuggled against Vergil's chest and closed her eyes happily. She didn't see Dante and Vergil's eyes meet above her head challengingly.

Ever was her fertility a source of contest between them.

DHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHVDHV

Queen: _As you've noticed, I'm back. I promised Nowshin I'd be doing another Heather fic soon, and I keep my promises. So, here's this one. _

Dante: _Queen, you've had this fic in your head for a few months now. Weren't you planning on doing one called "Baby Blues?"_

Queen: _I know, but I had this one first. So, I decided to kill two birds with one stone._

Vergil: _Queen, I think you really do need to send your muses on a vacation or something. _

Queen: _They just spent about three weeks drunk with Dante, Reno, and Zack. Don't blame me for this one._

Vergil: _You mean those two from the Final Fantasy fanverse? The carrot-top and the black-haired idiot?_

Dante: _That'd be them, bro. My buddies._

Vergil: _Oh dear God… If you need me, I'll be commiserating with Sephiroth._

Queen: _As you can see, I have some new freeloaders hanging around the property. Not that I mind, though. They're great entertainment and really good friends. Anyway, I'm sure you all know the drill by now. Read, review, and no flames please. I'll be back with the next chapter soon. And when I am, I'll explain exactly what an alu-fiend is. _

(transmission ended)


	2. Memories Recalled

**Disclaimer: **Nope. I don't own Devil May Cry. I do, however, own all rights to Heather, Michael, Aeva, and Loren.

**Summary: **A former apprentice of Dante's and ex-lover of Vergil, Loren, comes back from a decade-long gig in Europe to find that her man has wed another women. Consumed with jealousy and twisted love for him, she vows to kill Heather and her kids, and take back that which is hers. Meanwhile, Heather is with child once more, and both Dante and Vergil are nervous about the identity of the father. Which is it this time? The elder twin or the younger?

**Queen's Quornor:** I am a very bad Queen. I know I promised I'd update this quickly, much as I have with my other DMC fics, but I kept getting sidetracked. Other fics, work, classes... Plus, I wasn't entirely sure where I wanted this fic to go. But I think I've gotten it straightened out now. So the Queen has returned! BTW, where have all the usual DMC authors gone, anyway? x punk.rawker x, Vir M, Laryna6, Bustahead, Nowshin, Chrome... Where the hell have you gone, you and all the others? We must get back to our beloved twins, and resume our abandoned fics!

Memories Recalled

Loren relaxed into the seat and looked out the window, listening to Motely Crue as she watched the Atlantic Ocean pass beneath the plane. She had left London behind, and was on her way to the States, with relatively little luggage to accompany her. Most of her things had been shipped already, and were awaiting her at the nearest post office, excluding her cherished blade-chain. That had been smuggled onto the plane via a pass waved in front of the nice officer's face, naming her as military personnel. It was only partially-untrue; Scotland Yard had created it for her so she could travel about the UK without trouble as she hunted down demons and criminals affiliated with them. But they had accepted it at face value, and so she had it coiled in a bag resting on her lap, the same bag from which her headphones currently protruded.

Tapping her fingers in time with the music, the woman turned her head to look at the small boy seated beside her. He hadn't stopped staring at her since his mother had buckled him in before take-off; his steady blue gaze was starting to get on her nerves.

"What are you looking at?" she snapped.

He didn't answer. Loren shook her hair back out of her face, sneaking a peek at his mother across the aisle. The middle-aged woman was preoccupied with a baby, the boy's younger sibling. Perfect opportunity.

She returned her attention to the staring boy, and quickly accessed her powers; for a moment, her demonic visage was fully apparent to the child, complete with glowing eyes and bisected tongue, which she flicked out from between snake-like fangs.

It worked; the boy screamed and tore out of his seat to tackle his mother, clinging tightly and gibbering to her about "the monster-lady." The harried woman looked sharply at Loren, but she had already resumed her human appearance and returned her attention to the waves below. Trying to keep the baby calm, she cuffed her son and told him to sit back down and forget about his stupid nightmares. Monsters didn't exist.

_If only you knew, lady,_ Loren thought. _If you only you knew, you would be cowering in fear at this very moment, knowing that there was a half-demon not ten feet away from you. _

Loren knew there were such things as monsters, as demons. She hunted and killed them for a living, had heard them scream in pain as she ripped through them and tore them apart. She knew what they were capable of, and what it took to banish them back to the hellish realms from whence they came. Because of people like her, people like the woman across the aisle could live in ignorance, unaware of the dangers that stalked the night, the nameless horrors that slunk through the shadows whenever they weren't looking and stole their lives whenever they could seize the chance.

Or, in some cases, leave them with something they never wanted in the first place.

Loren was such a case, or rather the result of one. Her mother had been a human woman from Los Angelos, an Irish immigrant just working to support two hungry children who had taken a shortcut down the wrong alley one dark, moonless night. An incubus masquerading as a human had ambushed her, and raped her; his attentions had nearly killed her, but she had survived the ordeal and dragged herself back to her small apartment.

Loren had been born nine months later.

Her mother, a devout Catholic, had been beside herself when she realized what exactly had raped her; when her daughter had been born, she had done everything in her power to cleanse the 'unclean devil-spawn' she had carried and delivered. For as long as she could remember, Loren had been dragged to exorcisms and Mass and all other varieties of secret Catholic rituals, all with the aim of driving the demonic side of her heritage out of her. Her own half-brothers had been forced to stay away from her by their mother, who feared that her mere touch would be enough to corrupt them. Hidden away from the rest of the world, Loren had constantly been made to feel unwelcome in her own home.

At eleven years old, Loren had had enough. She had run away from home, and hitched a ride to Las Vegas. Making a living in Sin City was not easy, but she had done it without selling herself; she had become a showgirl as soon as she turned thirteen. Due to the demonic blood she carried, she had grown and developed a lot faster than most humans. Incubi, like succubi, were sex-demons; that meant that beauty was their prime weapon and defense against the rest of the Underworld. Their nestlings tended to grow up at twice the rate of most demons, and that trait had been proven to carry over to any half-breeds a succubus or incubus was responsible for. Loren had quickly become one of the most famous dancers in Vegas, despite being five years below the legal age. Her employers had never known; she had lied on the application sheet, and gotten away with it for four years.

It was in this less-than-savory occupation that she had met her first fellow half-demon; Urial had come to Vegas to relax after hunting down a demon-summoner, and had sensed her blood when he came to see the show. After her performance, he had come back to her dressing room and flat-out asked her what the hell she was doing here when she had other talents that could be put to good use. When she had asked him what he meant, he had told her about devil-hunting, and explained to her that he could smell the demonic blood in her veins. That was his particular specialty as a hunter; his father had been some kind of canine demon, and Urial had inherited his nose.

When he had asked if she wanted to leave the life of a showgirl behind to pursue the life of a devil hunter, Loren had thrown her sequined bra across the room and told him she was ready and willing.

Urial had not accepted the unintentional offer, but he had put her in contact with Dante, calling on a few favors the stubborn hunter owed him to make him train Loren to track and kill demons. Two years straight, she had lived at Devil May Cry, following him on hunts and learning everything she could. During the third year, Vergil had come back to the States from a sojourn in Romania and moved back into the shop with his younger twin. Loren had long since reached physical maturity by then, and immediately taken an interest in the solitary older brother. Dante had never reacted to her sexually - he always brushed her off with the curt reply of "You're too young to even be _thinking_ about that!" - but Vergil had responded with gusto.

She was not his first, but he was hers. Furthermore, according to him, she was the first he had actually cared about. A relationship based on mutual attraction and lust had grown between them rather quickly, and Loren eventually came to realize that he loved her.

And that had scared her. She was only twenty at that point; she didn't want a mate yet! And as far as she could tell, Vergil had been working up to asking her if she would be his mate. So, she had flown the coop, leaving a letter of explanation on Dante's desk and using her savings to hop a flight to England.

In the year following her flight, Loren had struggled with her own feelings for Vergil, and after much soul-searching understood that she loved him too. But it was too late to go back. She knew his temper all-too-well, and decided to merely enjoy herself in Europe for a few months before returning to America and asking for his forgiveness, with the aim of resuming their relationship and eventually mating herself to him.

But she had lost track of time. Months had turned into years, and before she realized what had happened, Loren had spent a decade overseas, apart from the man she loved. She was one of the most reknowned hunters on the continent, but she had no way of knowing if tales of her exploits had reached Dante and Vergil; there was no international meeting-place for hunters. Any information was received only if it was asked for and the third party knew the hunter in question.

The best way to see if they still cared about her was to go and visit them herself. With luck, the flames were still as hot in Vergil as they were in her, and they could pick up right where they left off.

The first issue would be finding them. If something had happened to Devil May Cry in her absence, it was highly unlikely that the twins would have stayed in the same city. Unlikely, but not impossible. Dante was cocky enough to stay in the same city, if not the same block, silently daring the demons to come try their luck again.

Loren relaxed back into the seat once more, turning up the volume on her MP3 player and smiling as pleasant thoughts of the reunion to come filled her mind.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Queen: _Just to clarify, Loren left Devil May Cry four years before Heather met the twins; the second DMC was destroyed by demons shortly after she struck up a friendship with Dante, and both he and Vergil rented out rooms in Heather's house while shopping around for a new building. They stayed there even after opening this third Devil May Cry, and so the events of "My Angel" began. It's been only three weeks since "Happy Anniversary" ended. Does that help put things in perspective? _

Dante: _I think you only managed to confuse 'em that much more. _

Vergil: _Shut up, brother. It makes a lot more sense if you actually read what is being said here._

Sephiroth: _Don't those two ever shut up? _

Queen: _I've gotten used to it. By the way, what the hell are you doing here? I thought you were out back sparring with Zack._

Sephiroth: _I won. I needed a shower. I took a shower. Then I came in here. Further clarification is not needed. _

Dante: _Yeah, right. You just want to steal her away from us again tonight so you can screw her brains out again._

Seph: _Who said anything about romance or sex? But now that you mention it, would you like to go out to dinner tonight, Queen?_

Vergil (rolling eyes): _So predictable. I swear, compared to you, people must think we're small fry. _

Queen: _That's never mattered to me, Vergil, and you know it. _

Dante: _Hey, weren't you going to explain what the hell an 'alu-fiend' is this time around?_

Queen (pecking Dante's cheek): _Thanks for reminding me. Anyway, an alu-fiend is another demonic creature from Dungeons and Dragons, specifically from the Forgotten Realms. They are the children of succubi and evil mages, children born from ritual couplings with the ultimate purpose of gaining power. I have invented a breed of similar half-breeds that are sired by incubi, but alus are only ever female. There is no such thing as a male alu-fiend. There is a distinct difference between my night-flyers and alu-fiends, but I decided to make Loren an alu, despite the lack of a succubus mother. _

Dante: _Fudging the rules again, Queen?_

Queen: _It is called fiction for a reason, Dante. _

Vergil: _It's also called fantasy for a similar reason. _

Seph: _I'm not even getting into this argument. You're on your own, Queen._

Queen: _Thanks a lot, Seph. Anyway, sorry I haven't updated in so long, and please leave me a review! I'll update when I find the time between classes. _

(transmission ended)


	3. A Longawaited Meeting

**Disclaimer: **Nope. I don't own Devil May Cry. I do, however, own all rights to Heather, Michael, Aeva, and Loren.

**Summary: **A former apprentice of Dante's and ex-lover of Vergil, Loren, comes back from a decade-long gig in Europe to find that her man has wed another women. Consumed with jealousy and twisted love for him, she vows to kill Heather and her kids, and take back that which is hers. Meanwhile, Heather is with child once more, and both Dante and Vergil are nervous about the identity of the father. Which is it this time? The elder twin or the younger?

**Queen's Quornor: **It has been more than a year since last I updated this fic. Please don't remind me of how badly I've neglected my beloved twins; I already feel bad enough as it is! Since I updated "Danse Macabre", I figured I'd try another chapter of "Tainted Love" and this is what came about. I hope the muses don't abandon me again. I still remember what I want to do with this fic, but the challenge is, as always, getting from Point A to Point B.

A Long-Awaited Meeting

The bartender finished placing the last chair on the last table, glancing around his watering hole wearily. Tonight had been a good night, with most of the tables and booths filled and the bar itself occupied from open to close. His register was filled with money, moreso than usual, and a good deal of his stock was depleted.

Busy nights meant good business. And good business meant even better money.

With a pleased sigh, the bartender grabbed his broom to begin sweeping up. As he pushed some dirt and broken glass into a small pile, he heard the door open. "Sorry, but we're closed for the night. Come back at nine this evening."

"Oh, I'm not looking for a drink. Just a little help," a husky female voice purred.

He turned around to question her further, but his protest died on his tongue. Approaching him was a statuesque knockout with long crimson hair and alabaster skin, dressed in tight black leather. Her corset strained to hold back the ample, milky globes adorning her chest, and her bright green eyes glowed with a sultry light. The heels of her boots clicked against the wooden floor as she glided across to the bar, lazily settling upon one of the round stools. Her long fingers traced slow circles upon the polished wood as she leaned back against the bar, her back arched to raise her breasts even higher.

"How can I help you?" the bartender managed through a mouthful of saliva. There was something deeply unsettling about the woman, but her allure vastly outweighed the inexplicable alarm. She almost emanated waves of sexuality, so strong he could scarcely dream of resisting her. Whatever she wanted, he would do without question.

"I'm looking for this place, and I'm a little lost. Could you help me?"

"I know almost everything about this town," he boasted, unconsciously puffing out his chest.

"Well..." she began coyly, eyes downcast as if shy. "It's called Devil May Cry."

The bartender found himself nodding. "I've heard of it. But why's a gorgeous lady like you interested in that dump? You're not in some kind of trouble, are you?"

"No." She inhaled deeply and crossed her legs, still tracing nameless shapes on the bar while her eyes found his. "The owners are old friends of mine, and I haven't seen them in a long time. But silly ol' me forgot where their shop is." She laughed merrily, the sound bringing a smile to his own lips. "I lost their phone number, or I would have just called them. And I'm so afraid of getting lost in this big city. Can you give me directions?"

Her bright green eyes were so wide, so pure... The bartender was unable to resist her harmless request. He heard himself giving her directions to Devil May Cry, but it was as if he was floating in a dream, his voice distant and echoed, hers clear and hypnotic. It was almost like he had had gotten drunk off the sound of her voice, the sight of her beauty. All he could focus on was her.

"Thank you, sir," she purred, rising languidly from her seat. "You have been most helpful."

"Glad to be...of service..." he slurred, feeling his feet leave the ground and darkness cloud his vision. He knew he was falling, but the floor never rose to catch him.

When he came to several hours later, the sun was shining through the windows, the register was empty, his stock was gone, and all that he remembered were glowing cat-eyes above a smiling red mouth.

DCMDCMDCMDCMDCMDCMDMCDMCDMCDMCDMC

Soft laughter filled the air as Loren turned a corner, remembering the hapless man's face as he fell beneath her magic. He had told her how to get to Devil May Cry without any resistance, even informing her of a few choice shortcuts along the way. It was always amusing to charm human males; they were so susceptible to the powers inherited from her incubus father.

Dante and Vergil had never approved of her seductive methods, but she found that removing a man's free will gave her all of the information she needed in far less time than the questioning and intimidation they preferred. Sure, it virtually enslaved her informant temporarily, but Loren didn't mind. It didn't harm them, after all. And they rarely remembered her once she released the enthrallment, so no possibility of being discovered existed. What was the harm in it?

Her poisonous green eyes lit up as the rosy sign of Dante and Vergil's shop came into view, and her pace quickened. She had waited until noon, the time they had usually opened up shop, and with the sign on they had to be in right now. Soon she would be in her beloved's presence once more, a meeting she both desired and feared. But even if he still hated her for fleeing ten years ago, she would make sure he changed his mind quickly.

Nobody could resist her forever. Vergil had never been an exception.

DMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMC

"Devil May Cry. A missing puppy? You don't say. Sorry kid, but I don't do animals. Call the ASPCA."

The phone let out another ring as it was thrown back in its cradle, cutting off the girl's tearful protest. Dante linked his fingers behind his head, leaning back to contemplate the ceiling. He really didn't want to be here at this time of day, but Heather had insisted, claiming that he needed to get out of the house because he was driving her crazy.

Really, what was so wrong with worrying about her now? She was in a delicate condition, being pregnant and all. And he hadn't been able to help her out when she was carrying Michael and Aeva. Was it really so wrong to want to accompany her everywhere and carry her up and down the stairs?

He'd been booted out of the house at ten in the morning, when he'd much rather have been sleeping. He could actually crash on the couch if he wanted. But the damn phone wouldn't stop ringing!

_Ring ring!_

Speak of the devil.

He banged his heel down on the desk and caught the receiver, bringing it to his ear with a disgusted sigh. "Devil May Cry."

"_Hey there, handsome,_" a throaty female voice purred. A familiar throaty female voice. "_Long time no see."_

Dante felt a chill race down his spine as he brought his legs down, eyes wide open. "Loren?!" he asked incredulously.

_"The one and only. Why are you so surprised to hear from me? I did say that I'd be back eventually in that letter I left you. Did you think I was planning to stay in Europe forever?"_

"Well, no. But it's been ten years since you left! You could have called or something, let us know you were okay!"

"_I'm calling now, aren't I? Still, nice to know you were worried about me. So what have you been up to? How's Vergil?"_

Dante licked his lips. Loren...back. Hoo boy, this could get messy. "Just the usual. Hunting devils, killing summoners, all that crap. How'd you get this number, anyway? We had to change the number when we moved into the new shop."

_"A little birdie told me how to call you. Oh, and you might want to see about changing your password. It's really too cliche, Dante."_

"People remember it, don't they?" he pointed out. "So what're you doing back in the States? I thought business was too slow here for your tastes."

_"Things got too crowded in Europe, of course. Too many hunters, not enough demons. Bad for my bank account, you see. And I'm rather high maintenance, as you know. So I came to where the work is."_

"So I'm guessing you want to see Vergil again, right?"

_"Well of course. And you, too. But mostly him."_

"Thanks a lot," he mumbled. How was he going to handle this? "Well, Vergil's out of town right now. We got a call for a job in Alaska, and he went to take care of it. If you come back in a couple days, he should be back by then."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, then _"You know, you always were a lousy liar, Dante. Your voice says you aren't lying, but that hand running through your hair does." _

He jumped and looked at the phone for a moment before putting it back to his ear. "And how would you know that?"

There was a knock at the door, and he looked up to see Loren standing outside, waving at him with a cell phone to her ear. She grinned and ended the call, strolling inside a moment later. "I spent enough time with you to know your little idiosyncrasies, Dante. When you run your hand through your hair, it usually means you're lying."

"How long have you been there?" he asked, hanging up the phone and tipping his chair back, his feet once more finding the top of his desk.

"Only a few minutes. I just got into town last night." She strolled over to the desk and perched on the edge, beside his feet. "Now then. Since he's not in Alaska, where's your brother? He and I have a lot of catching up to do."

Dante shrugged, feeling his heartbeat speed slightly. When Loren found out about Heather... "He's sleeping at the house. I would be too, but my mate wanted me to get out and give her a little peace for the day."

"So you finally settled down, eh? Congratulations, Dante. Who's the lucky lady?" she asked, playing with the buckles on his boot.

"Just this human I met. She's pretty cool."

"Human, huh? Thought you had better taste than that," Loren remarked off-handedly, paying no heed to the scowl that crossed the white-haired hunter's face. "Anyway, so when's Vergil going to get here? I know he'll be here later. I've really missed him, and I'm sure he's missed me."

Dante shrugged again. Might as well take the bull by the horns. Sort of. "He'll get here around six. But I'm not sure how he'll react to you. You hurt him pretty bad back then, Loren."

She flashed him a quick grin, and he felt a certain part of his body stir as she put on the charm. "He'll get over it, Dante. I guarantee, when I'm through with him it'll be like I'd never been gone."

"No seduction around me, Loren," Dante warned. "I don't want to put up with that shit. I've already got a mate."

The alu-fiend pouted, but complied. "You're no fun."

"How about you come back at six? Like I said, that's when Vergil will come in for work. There's a little motel a couple blocks down that you could stay in."

Loren smirked again, and rose to her feet. "I know. Where do you think I've been since last night?" She lazily slipped across the floor to the door, casting him once last smile over her shoulder. "Don't tell Vergil I'm back, okay? I want our reunion to be a surprise. See ya later, handsome!"

Dante merely shrugged as she left, then pulled out his cell phone once he could no longer see her through the doors. Hitting Vergil's number, he nervously tapped his fingers on the desk until his brother picked up. "Vergil? Yeah, we have a problem."

DMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMCDMC

(crackling noise, audio recording picks up)

**Audio recording: **Deepest apologies, people. But the transmitter seems to have stopped working at the moment. A message has been sent to Queen, and a repairman has been dispatched to her location. This transmitter will be working again by the next posting. Have a nice day.


	4. Poison

**Disclaimer: **Nope. I don't own Devil May Cry. I do, however, own all rights to Heather, Michael, Aeva, and Loren.

**Summary: **A former apprentice of Dante's and ex-lover of Vergil, Loren, comes back from a decade-long gig in Europe to find that her man has wed another women. Consumed with jealousy and twisted love for him, she vows to kill Heather and her kids, and take back that which is hers. Meanwhile, Heather is with child once more, and both Dante and Vergil are nervous about the identity of the father. Which is it this time? The elder twin or the younger?

**Queen's Quornor:** Well, here we are again. And yes, it has been a long time since I updated, and for that I'm sorry. Things have been a bit...hectic lately. This chapter's been written up for quite some time now, but I never had time to actually post it. Sorry!

Poison

_She's back. She's come back. After all this time, she's back._

The litany continued in Vergil's mind as he trudged towards Devil May Cry, where his brother and Loren were waiting. A full decade had passed since she had broken his heart, and now she had come back.

More than likely, she wanted to resume their relationship, exactly where they had left off. How was he going to tell her that he had a mate and child, possibly another on the way?

Dante had agreed to stay at the shop when he arrived, to help watch Loren. There was not telling how she'd react to the news that she was too late, and Vergil was already mated to another. The elder Son of Sparda steeled himself, then went up the stairs and inside.

Dante was in his customary place behind the desk with his feet up. He nodded lazily as his brother came into view, and his azure eyes slid to the woman perched on the edge of his desk. Vergil surpressed a sigh at the sight of her, knowing that she wasn't going to take this well no matter how he worded it.

"Loren," he greeted, his voice carefully emotionless.

Her plump lips spread in a temptress' smile, venomous green eyes half-hidden by long, long lashes. "Hello, Vergil," she purred. "It's been a long time."

"Ten years is nothing to our kind," he replied. She tilted her head, scrutinizing him closely, then smoothly rose to her feet.

"Are you still mad at me?"

"I'm not mad at you." Vergil crossed his arms, coolly watching the alu. "I haven't been mad at you for a long time. You mean nothing to me now."

Loren laughed lightly, slinking over to him with a provocative rolling of her hips. "I doubt that. I remember the way you looked at me ten years ago, how you reacted to a single glance or caress. You can't stand there and tell me that you feel nothing for me, Vergil. I know you too well."

"It's been ten years, Loren." Vergil didn't move as she wrapped her arms around his neck and molded herself to his body, sin dancing in her bright green eyes.

"So prove it," she murmured, fastening their mouths together in a hot kiss.

She remembered what he liked. He had to give her that. But as good as the kiss was, Vergil didn't react to it. He didn't even lift his arms to hold her against him. After several moments of fruitless effort Loren pulled back to look at him, confusion in her gaze.

"I already told you. I feel nothing for you now."

The alu stepped away. "I hurt you that much?"

"There's no place in his life for you anymore, Loren." Dante tapped his heart meaningfully. "He's got a little bite here that proves it."

Loren stared at him, then her eyes flared and she whipped back to Vergil. "A mate?" she demanded hotly. "You have a _mate?!_"

"Both of us do. You obviously didn't want me, so I found somebody who did." Vergil watched her scowl, unmoved. "She has given me a nestling already, and carries another."

"A _human?_" Loren spat, balling her fists tightly.

"You can't help who you fall in love with," Dante remarked off-handedly.

"Shut up!" The alu's venomous eyes flared with rage. "How dare you lead me on like that! I've been dreaming of you for the past ten years! I came back just for you! You made me fall in love with you, and then you dump me - _me!_ - for some filthy little human whore?! You fucking _bastard!_"

Yamato's razored edge was against her throat in the next second, and she glared at its master as his chilling gaze bored into her own. "Know this: I love my mate, and I won't tolerate anybody talking about her like that. Do not test my patience, Loren, or you will regret it. You should remember that, as well."

"I think it's time for you to go, Loren," Dante said, getting up from his chair. "Go cool off for awhile, and then we'll talk."

Vergil wiped the thin line of blood from Yamato before sheathing it. Loren stepped back, one hand held to her throat. The disbelieving anger in her eyes did bother him, but he gave no outward indication. He had loved her once, and she had broken his heart, fully aware of his feelings. She didn't deserve to know that she still affected him, if only in her pain.

"I'll be back," she hissed, malice dripping from every syllable. "You once said that we were meant to be together. Mated or not, I don't believe that you have left me to the past." With a toss of her fiery hair, the alu stalked past him to the doors. She paused with one hand on the cool metal, and turned so she faced the elder twin once more. "You were mine once, and you shall be again. Your 'mate' could not have erased the mark I left upon you."

The door slammed open and fell closed, announcing her departure from Devil May Cry. Dante went to his brother, noting the shock in his wide blue eyes. "Bro? What's wrong?"

In reply, Vergil shed his coat and turned towards the wall, pulling his vest up and over his head. "Man, I didn't ask for a strip-show," Dante deadpanned, rolling his eyes and taking a step back. "Heather isn't here, and I don't like you _that _much."

"Is there a bite or scratch or scar on my back?" Vergil demanded, looking over his shoulder. "Anything at all?"

The younger twin gave him a puzzled look, but obligingly took a look at his back. "I don't see anything."

"Try triggering."

"Where anybody could see?"

Vergil snarled impatiently and dragged his brother into the bathroom. "Now look at my back with your devil's eyes," he growled, turning around again.

His own devil stirred when the familiar crimson light flashed, but Vergil forced it back down with a brutal thrust of will. It was another devil, but this was Dante. He could be trusted to see his back and not harm him.

Almost immediately he heard a sharp intake of breath from behind him. "What is it?" he asked, bracing himself.

"There's a pattern here." A claw traced the center of his back, accompanied by the dual-toned voice of his brother's devil form. "Looks like a bunch of scratches centered around a bite. Completely invisible to human eyes, and nothing but scars now."

"She marked me," Vergil snarled. "That bitch, she marked me!"

"You had no idea she'd done this?"

"Loren was very fond of biting and scratching during sex, as I am. But it never occured to me that she would dare mark me." Vergil glanced back at his brother. "Could you draw a picture of it?"

"It's pretty simple. No problem." The light flashed again as Dante's trigger ended, and he took one more look at his brother's back before getting out of the bathroom. "It's probably a territorial mark. It couldn't be that powerful, since she wasn't very strong when she lived with us."

"Yet it managed to stay in place, despite ten years and thousands of miles between us. Territorial marks don't last forever, but mating bites do. I didn't mate her to myself." Vergil slipped his vest back on. "I may have wanted to, but I didn't."

"She still didn't mate herself to you. Your ritual with Heather wouldn't have taken if she had." Dante slung himself into his chair, his boots easily clearing the pictures on the right side of his desk. "Speaking of which, do you think we should tell her about Loren?"

"Out of the question." The elder twin shrugged into his coat and left the bathroom to plop down on the sofa, fingers unconsciously raking his hair back into place. "She does not need to worry about such things right now. Nothing can be allowed to disrupt her pregnancy."

"Agreed, bro. She's been through enough already because of us." Dante's eyes went to Rebellion beside the desk, and Vergil's fingers tightened on Yamato's sheath. "No old flame is going to get between us and her if we have anything to say about it."

DVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDV

She crouched on the roof of city hall, distinguishable from the gargoyles squatting around her only by the wind blowing her hair across her face. Unaware of the chilly night air on her naked arms and shoulders, she stared down at the busy streets below, her mind roiling.

How could he betray her? No woman could compare to her magnificence, her perfection. That she'd been replaced by a mere _human_...

Her fingers tightened around her dagger-whip, curling into white-knuckled fists.

Grief had driven him to that woman, whoever she was. He had been driven to madness by her absence, and thought he'd fallen for the human bitch. Now that she was back, he would realize his mistake and abandon his so-called 'mate' to her meaningless fate. He'd come back to her, she would greet him with open arms, and they would start over. Everything would be as it should have been ten years ago, had she not left. The Vergil she knew would never have touched a human female, much less fallen in love with one. He had simply transferred his affections to the first female available. He would realize that with time.

And if he could not realize it on his own...

Well, she had no qualms about nudging him in the right direction.

A flash of green sparked in the sky and a winged form soared over the city, invisible in the night but for a pair of glowing poison eyes, visible even from the streets below.

DVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDVDV

Queen (looking at something off-screen): _I am very, very sorry I took so long to post this. I will never take so long on a chapter ever again so long as I live. I reiterate how sorry I am, and hope that you all forgive me. _(glares at somebody) _Can I have my meds now?_

Dante: _Here you go. You can go back to the couch now._

(Queen gets up with a bottle in hand and slowly disappears down the hall. Her seat is taken by Dante a moment later. He puts a piece of paper down beside the computer, and a few words from her little speech are visible)

Dante: _You must forgive her for the attitude. Queen had surgery the day after New Year's, and some of the internal stuff hasn't quite finished healing yet. It doesn't help that she has to go to class when she should be concentrating on healing, either. I'll try and get her to write the next chapter as fast as possible, but at this point I think she'd be more likely to stab me than actually listen. She'll be more compliant once she feels better. Now, I need to go get her an ice-pack, or I'll never hear the end of it. Until next time..._

(transmission ended)


End file.
